I don’t really follow stereo components with audiophile-level (or, really, any) intensity, so I’m not even sure what to look for these days. I do know, however, that the Kenwood N8100 I thought would be the neatest thing since slice bread has been nothing but a headache, so back it goes!
My budget is $250, give or take, and the only things I know I need are:
[ol]
[li]Component inputs (the more the better; I have 4 devices now that could use it, and I’ll probably get more in the future – I’m going to use a device selector to switch between any devices that the receiver can’t accommodate)[/li][li]Optical inputs (again, 4 or more; any combination of optical and digital coaxial is fine)[/li][/ol]
That’s really it. I don’t have a TV with HDMI, so I don’t need that (though I guess it couldn’t hurt, with regards to futureproofing).
I don’t have any particular brand loyalty, so anything that will last me a few years will be fine. (Though I’m never using Kenwood again. Ever.)
It so happens that I’m selling my stereo components. Unfortunately, my Denon AVR-2400 only has RCA and S-video inputs. Denon makes a very nice amp/receiver, with a killer rep, but at $250 you’re probably looking at something like what I selling used. I presently have three CD carousels (700 CDs) plugged in via a switching unit, a turntable, tape deck, CD recorder, five speakers, subwoofer. It also has room for two VCRs, a DVD player and a pre-amp.
I should have mentioned that my other system (which I have connected to the TV) is a Yamaha RX-V530. This one has all the digital and optical connections and was very reasonably priced, as I recall. Works great, and probably has enough connections for you.
Yeah, I’m using “stereo” (inaccurately) as a generic term for audio equipment.
It looks like the Denons are generally out of my price range. There are a couple Onkyos at Amazon, though, that are in my price range, and have HDMI to boot. (It’s possible that I’ll get myself an HDTV by the end of the year, so, upon further consideration, that’s rather appealing.) Is Onkyo a quality brand?
This is a thread poorly answered on a message board. Assuming the OP doesn’t live on an island, they have access to stores such as Best Buy, Circuit City, or similar.
Write down what your “must have” features are, and those which are “nice but could do without”. Decide beforehand what you can afford.
Then go shopping. Unless the first store offers you a “buy this now and we’ll pay off your mortagage and give you a new Maserati” deal, get the terms of the deal (how long it lasts, plus incentives), and then shop the competition. Once you’ve sampled at least three store’s fares, you’ll have a feel for what you like, who treated you nicely, and what the best compromise of price and features will be.
If you’d like one last confidence booster, go home and Google the component model numbers to see if there are any dog reports on your intended purchase. Good luck
You might want to check out avsforum.com.
Getting a decent reciever for $250 is possible, but I’m not sure if any of those would have 4 inputs.
From what a read Onkyo is a decent brand.
It’s a big box that processes audio signals and amplifies them, and does it well, but that’s not important right now.
I’ve heard good things about Onkyo, Denon, Harman-Kardon, and maybe Yamaha. One thing to look for is a unit with discrete output transistors, instead of integrated circuits for the amplifiers. When it comes to power, heavier is usually better. The unit with the bigger power-supply capacitors, transformer, and amp heat-sinks is usually more powerful.
There’s an exception to that, though. There are now some receivers that use a digital amplifier design that is very efficient, so the receivers are smaller, they run cooler and they don’t use as much power. Panasonic makes these and some people like them, but I’ve never tried one myself.
If money is an issue, you might try looking for refurbished units (aka “B-stock”), with come with a warranty like a new one. Onkyo sells refurbs at jr.com and shoponkyo.com; Harman-Kardon sells them from their Ebay store called Harman Direct.
If you want to listen to music from a CD or other stereo source in surround sound, look for Dolby Pro Logic 2. I think they all have it nowadays though.
I echo what danceswithcats said. Get a list of attributes that you want, then go to a couple of stores and see what they offer. That way you’ll be able to write down a couple of models and look for those specifically. I can’t think of many that will offer what you want at just $250, but it’s been a while since I looked.
One additional feature that I would suggest you looking for is upconversion of video. A lot of recievers will allow you to have several types of input and/or output of video sources, but it will only pass through. So if you have 4 video sources, one S-video, two component, and one composite, you have to have 3 video outputs going to your TV. One for each type. So make sure that the reciever will upconvert to the highest quality video that you’ll be using.
